Start a Corporation in Arizona

If you’re starting a new business, you probably already know what you want to name your corporation. But you’ll need to know if your preferred name is available. To find out, visit the AZCC Entity Search and browse until you find the perfect name for your corporation.

Per AZ Rev Stat § 10-501 (2020), every Arizona corporation must appoint a registered agent, which is also called a statutory agent in Arizona. You don’t need to hire a registered agent, but if you do, make sure your registered agent will list their address on your articles wherever possible to ensure maximum privacy.

Learn more about each Articles of Incorporation requirement below.

Note that the information you provide becomes part of the public record—permanently.

You’ll need to include the following information in your Articles of Incorporation:

• Entity type. Select whether your business is a business corporation or a professional corporation. Professional corporations provide state-licensed services. If you are a professional corporation, you’ll also have to briefly describe your professional services in your Articles.
• Entity name. Your name must include Association, Company, Corporation, Limited, Incorporated, or an abbreviation for one of these words, like Inc.
• Professional corporation services. Skip this section if you’re a regular business corporation and not a professional corporation. Otherwise, explain the professional service you’ll provide in a few words.
• Character of business. What is your corporation actually going to do? Manufacture pet food? Sell and install flooring? Just put a few words to describe the main business activity of your corporation.
• Shares. You have to authorize (create) at least one share. You can distribute some or all of these shares later on at your organizational meeting. In your articles, list how many of each kind of share you’re authorizing. Each class is subject to different rights and restrictions.
• Arizona known place of business. While it sounds like something out of an old detective movie, known place of business is just a physical Arizona business address. It can be your actual office location, or it can be your statutory agent’s address.
• Directors. You have to list the name of every director of your corporation. You also have to include their business address, which can be the corporation’s known place of business which, once again, can be our address when you hire Northwest.
• Statutory agent. For your Arizona registered agent (aka statutory agent), you can list an individual (like yourself) or a business that provides statutory agent services, like Northwest.
• Statutory agent address. This Arizona street address is where your statutory agent will be available to accept legal notifications on behalf of your business. Like all the information in your Articles of Incorporation, this address will be part of the permanent public record. Hire Northwest and our address will go here.
• Statutory agent acceptance. Your agent has to accept their appointment by completing and signing an attachment called the Statutory Agent Acceptance (Form M002). This way, the state knows that your agent is aware of their responsibilities to your corporation.
• Certificate of disclosure. You submit this form with your articles. Basically, this tells the state no one in your business is playing fast and loose with financial laws. You have to disclose if any director, officer, major shareholder, etc. has fraud or antitrust convictions or has recently gone through bankruptcy with another corporation.
• Arizona incorporator. Someone has to sign your articles, and that person is your incorporator. Incorporators don’t have to be directors, shareholders, or anyone in the corporation—but they do have to be willing to provide their name, address, and signature. We’ll be your incorporator when you hire Northwest.

Arizona corporations need to publish new of their company within 60 days of formation. However, there is an exception to this rule: if your statutory agent is located in Maricopa or Pima County, the Arizona Corporations Commission will publish your corporation for you, and you don’t have to do a thing.

If your statutory agent is not located in Maricopa or Pima County, you’ll need to meet the Arizona corporation publication requirement. To do so, you’ll need to publish a legal notice:

• in one newspaper
• for three consecutive issues
• in the county where your statutory agent is located.

Our office is in Pima County, so if you hire us, you can skip this step entirely.

You can get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a Social Security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form.

Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Learn how to get an EIN for your corporation.

Bylaws are the internal rules you set for your business. They put into writing how decisions will be made and who gets to make those decisions. All the major organizational processes and procedures for your corporation will go in your bylaws.

For more on Arizona corporate bylaws (including free Arizona corporate bylaws templates), see our Arizona corporate bylaws resource.

An organizational meeting is the first official meeting of the corporation after the business is legally formed with the state. At this meeting, bylaws are adopted, officers are appointed, and any other initial business is conducted. The first meeting minutes should also be recorded and added to your corporate record book.

Businesses that mix personal and business finances together risk losing their liability protections, so your corporation will need its own bank account. In addition, a corporate bank account is essential for easily accepting payments, paying bills, and holding funds.

In Arizona, corporations file an annual report each year. In addition, your corporation is subject to state taxes, including the state’s corporate net income tax and a gross receipts tax called the Transaction Privilege Tax.